Warm Roast Pumpkin and Cashew Salad

One of the things that I love about this time of year is that we get to eat our home grown pumpkins. They have been harvested and left to sit in the last of the Autumn rays. Once Winter arrives they sit waiting to be used in soup, curries, bread and other goodies that I invent as the weather encourages me to stay close to the oven, rather than venturing out to the garden.

A salad in Winter can be satisfying when the ingredients are substantial, warm and seasonal.

Prior to cutting into one of my home grown pumpkins I like to have a few dishes in mind. Vibrant, intense orange glows as the pumpkin is cut for the first time, seeds spilling out. I like to feel like I am doing justice to the wonderful pumpkin that we have raised, cared for and harvested. Due to the large size of the pumpkins, they need to be used across a few meals. I generally plan to cook some family favorite recipes plus add in a new recipe . This is a new recipe from one of our current year pumpkins and also includes some rocket and spring onion from the garden.

I made this dish with the thought that it would be served as a side dish but I loved the flavor so much that I ditched the chicken it was to accompany. We had the chicken the following night and ate this as a main meal.

The candied lime zest was a glorious surprise. When you make this recipe, be sure that you get everything out of the baking dish and on top of the salad after the pumpkin has baked.

Current favourite.
10 Brussel sprouts, trimmed, with cross cut into stems. Microwave for 3 mins or parboil.
Pumpkin, cubed – maybe a similar volume.
Shake both in a bowl with a teaspoon of oil and some dukkah.
Roast in a pie dish about 20 minutes (I use a benchtop oven with top heat on it).
You can add cubed fetta after ten minutes.
Drizzle a teaspoon of honey and stir through.
Top with four to six heaped teaspoons of hommos and serve.
Enjoy!

What a fantastic warm pumpkin salad recipe. This looks splendid and family friendly as well. I vet the pumpkin is delicious roasted with these flavourings. Thanks for inspiration for a great side dish 😀